Time Woman of the Year Zahra Joya — The Vanishing Girl of Kabul
Summary
Zahra Joya, founder of Rokshana Media, shares her journey from disguising herself as a boy to attend school under the Taliban to becoming an exiled journalist in London. She discusses the betrayal of the Doha Agreement, the systematic oppression of Afghan women, and the rise of "Talibros" who romanticize the regime. Joya also addresses the double standards in Western media and calls for global solidarity to support Afghan women’s resilience against gender apartheid.
Topics discussed
Introduction to Zakra Joya and her background
Zakra's childhood and dressing as a boy to attend school
The practice of Bacha Posh and community reactions
Life after the fall of the Taliban in 2001
The golden era, political instability, and regime changes
The fate of US aid money and corruption in Afghanistan
The Doha Agreement and the betrayal of Afghan women
Interviewing a senior Taliban official in Moscow
Zakra's path to becoming a journalist
Founding Rokshana Media and ensuring journalist safety
Fleeing Afghanistan and settling in the UK
The tension of living in exile while witnessing oppression
Right-wing 'Talibros' and the normalization of Taliban rule
Criticism of Western media coverage of Afghan women
Parallels between US politics and Taliban ideology
Call to action for Western governments and the public
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